On Friday, Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly rebutted recent "disparaging comments" made by Telangana's Chief Minister, K. Revant Reddy, labeling them as "completely baseless." Vijayan suggested that instead of lecturing Kerala, Reddy should focus on addressing poverty and literacy issues within his own state. Through social media platforms like X and Facebook, Vijayan pointed out the irony of a leader who "demolishes homes of the poor" questioning Kerala's social advancements.

Vijayan emphasized that Reddy's remarks about Kerala were unfounded, stating, "It is ironic that someone who operates bulldozers on the homes of the impoverished in his own state attempts to preach social progress to Kerala. He has become a mouthpiece for those trying to undermine our sustainable and inclusive development model."

Addressing Allegations of Corruption

In response to Reddy's accusations of "corruption and misgovernance," Vijayan referenced official data from the NITI Aayog to highlight disparities between the two states. He remarked, "Before making allegations of 'corruption and misgovernance' in Kerala, he should verify the official statistics. Has he not noticed that Kerala is the least corrupt state in India? According to the NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Index (2023-24), Kerala ranks first with 79 points, while Telangana is in sixth place. It is disgraceful to mock Kerala to cover up the shortcomings of his own state."

Comparing Poverty and Literacy Rates

Vijayan further compared the poverty and literacy rates of both states, asserting that Kerala is on the verge of eradicating extreme poverty. According to NITI Aayog, Kerala's poverty rate stands at a mere 0.55%, the lowest in India. By the end of 2025, Kerala is projected to be the first state in the country to completely eliminate extreme poverty, whereas Telangana's poverty rate is 5.88%. Vijayan questioned whether the Telangana government has taken any steps to uplift its poorest citizens.

He also highlighted that Kerala boasts a literacy rate of 95.3%, significantly higher than Telangana's 76.9%. Additionally, Vijayan criticized the Telangana government's spending on political advertisements in Kerala, suggesting that they should instead focus on poverty alleviation and improving literacy in their own state. He noted, "In Kerala, the infant mortality rate has dropped to 5, which is even better than the U.S. rate of 5.6. In Telangana, this rate is nearly four times higher! Thanks to our robust public health system, a Malayali lives 5-7 years longer than the average Indian."